Staff feel the wrath of sleep-deprived managers

Around half of all UK managers say a lack of sleep makes them irritable and prone to shouting at their staff, according to new research.

One in five managers also said being kept awake at night meant they were more likely to make mistakes, the Mori poll of 1,006 people revealed.

The report, commissioned by the think tank Demos and retail chain Ikea, said the issue of sleep had been forgotten in the work-life balance debate.

Report author, Charles Leadbeater, said: “On any working day, a quarter of all managers in Britain are likely to be in a bad mood because they have not slept well.

“These sleep-deprived and shouty managers, with a tendency to make mistakes, are responsible for millions of British workers. It’s hardly a recipe for good management.

Leadbeater called on the Government and employers to take action.

“A small loss of sleep is likely to have a big impact on people who lead stressful lives,” he said. “Stressed-out parents are already not sleeping enough. They are the people most likely to have their sleep disrupted and they are least able to recover. This cocktail needs to be tackled by employers and policy-makers to reduce the sleep deficit, and its impact of families and workplaces.”